Memories
by Serenity Rayne
Summary: He would cherish his past as much as his present for it was the past that made him what he was; who he was; and it would be the future that further defined him. Heero/Duo


A/N: Well here it is. Heero/Duo…hope that was what I was supposed to do. This kept fighting me but apparently I write better when pressured. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

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There seemed to be phantoms here. The echo of laughter resonated through the air; both children and adult. Closing his eyes he could nearly believe that he could see the forms of those long since past. But he knew; knew that this couldn't be true. He had watched those people either leave to loving homes of their own, or be killed by those far too greedy and selfish for their pure, laughing souls.

Closing his eyes he could also envision the magnificence of the once whole church; now nothing more than piles of rubble and dust, never to be disturbed by those of the colony who mourned the tragic passing of those they once went to for aid and forgiveness.

But then again, it wasn't likely that they would be remembered for much longer. People were fickle; the teen had learned had learned that during the first war for peace. They could love and support you one minute and then turn their backs on you the next. And it was often that they forgot those who had helped them after they had gone; trying to block out the past with visions of the future. But he knew that that didn't have to be.

"You alright Koi?"

Duo smiled, violet eyes slightly dim as he turned to his lover of two years.

"I'm fine Heero…just remembering."

He knew that no matter what happened; no matter how much time had passed or how many good or bad times he had; the Maxwell Church and Orphanage and all its previous occupants, living and dead; would never fade from his memory. He would cherish his past as much as his present for it was the past that made him what he was; who he was; and it would be the future that further defined him.

"Remembering?"

Heero's blue eyes were confused though his stance was slightly relaxed. He knew that they were in something of a bad area…but he also knew that for some reason they were safe there and that his lover was fine.

"Yes…did you know that this used to be a church lover?"

Heero shook his head as his lover turned back to look at the ruins.

"This was where I gained my last name. This is the Maxwell Church and Orphanage…or…what's left of it anyway."

Heero's brows furrowed at the pain and sorrow and no little amount of guilt and self-hatred that had bled into his lovers voice as he spoke.

"Maxwell Church?"

Duo smiled a grim, crooked smile.

"Yeah…I have no doubt you heard of it. Though this may help jog your memory some…The Maxwell Church Tragedy, or as its more commonly known here…the Maxwell Church Massacre."

Heero's eyes widened as he remembered the name. It had been years before, when the Alliance had apparently destroyed a church after trying to get the terrorists hiding there out and into custody. His Duo; his Shinigami; had been in there?

"You were in there?"

Duo shook his head sadly.

"No…I had left to get the rebels a mobile suit; they said they would leave if I did. When I got back everything was as you see it here…with a few differences."

Duo paused, looking up at the artificial sky.

"There are no bodies here now."

Heero drew back slightly at the raw pain in his lovers voice.

"There are no orphans strewn dead over the ground. No rebels buried under pile of rubble. No Father Maxwell lying dead on the alter like some sort of sacrifice. And no Sister Helen, bleeding out as she tried desperately to wait for me to return…to make sure I was SAFE!"

Heero moved forward quickly at the cry, wrapping his arms around his lover in a comforting hug; strong arms providing comfort for the tormented teen before him. Duo blinked, tears stinging at his eyes as he refused to cry.

"I remember what it was like before that too though…and that makes me even angrier, cause I can see what they destroyed."

Duo looked out over the ruins, his violet eyes distant, as if looking at something his lover couldn't see.

"L-2 is poor so Christmas here was never anything big. But then again…it had been my first Christmas anyway so to me it was the grandest thing in the world…and I think it always will be."

Duo took a deep breath, snuggling further into his lovers strong chest as he spoke on.

"Someone had donated a fake tree years ago and all of the orphans had a blast putting it together. It was a little thread bare, some of the branches broken or missing, but it was ours. And since most of the kids there were mine, they had never seen anything like it at all. So everyone had fun. Then everyone went and made their own decoration for it out of whatever they could find. There were just enough ornaments to fill the tree and by the time we were done Sister Helen had come out with a rare treat for us all."

Duo swallowed a sob.

"It was rare for us to get anything sweet; probably why I like sweets so much now; but back then she had been able to get some sugar and chocolate and had made us cookies, we had even had milk. It was more than what we had expected and it made it even better as everyone sat around Father Maxwell and listened to the stories he told us and those who had come to listen. I had a special seat, right on Sister Helen's lap next to Father Maxwell. I remember how she always used to stroke my hair; I loved the attention since the last person to do such things had been Solo, who had died years before during the plague."

Duo smiled, eyes still distant as Heero listened to everything intently.

"We had fun and we never expected anything else; we had been taught at school that most kids got gifts but we knew better then to expect anything. We had been taught by the Father and Sister that Christmas was a time for family and friends. And so we went to bed content to spend time with each other listening to stories and playing games around our tree."

Duo chocked out a laugh, the tears finally beginning to fall from his eyes.

"But we had a surprise the next day; someone had donated toys and other such things to the church and there was something for everyone to play with though we all shared anyway. But Father Maxwell and Sister Helen gave me something I still treasure today. I can remember that clear as day. The Father and Sister had called me in the back room and sat me down at the table as the other kids played. And it was then that Sister Helen handed me my cross."

Duo's hand shakily came up and gripped his cross from where it now hung on a Gundanium chain around his neck.

"I can remember my confusion and then the pleasure I felt when Sister Helen said she and the Father had saved up to have it made specially for me; so that no matter where I was or what I was doing they would always be there with me."

Heero turned his little lover in his grasp and hugged him to his chest as he cried for what he had lost, and what he had gained.

"I think that they would be proud of you Duo."

Duo looked up with teary eyes at his lovers solemn blue eyes.

"You fought for those that couldn't fight for themselves and you never truly lost yourself. You are who you are because of what you went through and I know that I would never want that to change; just as I'm sure they wouldn't either."

Duo smiled tearily as he looked up at his lover before laying his head against the others chest.

"Maybe. Do you think we could do something extra special for Christmas before we go back to Quatre's Manor for the parties and such?"

Heero smiled and taking one more quick look at the ruins of the church, began to lead his braided lover away.

"Do you want to visit an orphanage here or on earth?"

Duo smiled brilliantly up at his normally stoic lover.

"Here if that's okay."

Heero nodded and stopped, drawing his lover into a deep kiss before moving to where they had left the car, giving his lover some space to say goodbye.

"Would you really be proud of me? I was a terrorist, a killer. I took a path opposite the one you taught. But I still got to the same place didn't I. Peace is reigning for now on both Earth and the colonies."

Duo shook himself.

"I guess I'll find out when I see you next. And I'm sorry but…"

Duo looked up to see the tall, strong form of his lover standing by the car talking on the phone, no doubt to one of their friends and brothers.

"…It's going to be a while until I get there. I have too much to live for now."

He saw Heero turn back to him and wave as he saw him watching.

"I know you'll understand."

Turning around Duo gave one last look at the place he had once called home. And it was as he was turning around that he thought he saw them; and he smiled. For he could have sworn, that there standing on the rubble, were the proud, smiling forms of old Father Maxwell and beautiful, motherly Sister Helen.

"Merry Christmas."

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A/N: Well here ya go…hope everyone liked it. This story was from the Slytherins_Collective Christmas challenge.


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